Miles to Go

I've been running for almost 9 months now -- with a month or so off because of an injury. While I can't say I've fallen in love with it, I am embracing it (begrudgingly at times). I'm running my first 5k later this month and have committed to a 10k in April.

I'm looking forward to the 5k -- it's a 3.1 mile run through a community park that is part of my regular route. The 10k? Not so much. 6.2 miles seems like an incredible distance at this point. I'm following an 8-week training program and this week is the last week of "easy" distances, with a 3-miler being the longest of the 3 scheduled runs.

But I've set the goal. I've paid up the entry fee. I've publicized it on (gasp) Facebook. So I'll be damned if I don't JUST DO IT. With the help of the chiropractor, new shoes that actually fit, positive thinking, and a few swear words (sorry, mom!) muttered under my panting breath, I'm gonna do it.

Baxter is a faithful, motivated running partner. That dog just knows when it's run time. Take out the running clothes or pick up the running shoes, and he starts bouncing around. Get his leash and collar out and he can barely contain his excitement. I never worry when I'm out running with him. For some reason, people often give me a wide berth. I'm not sure if it's because he's a rather unfamiliar-looking breed (you don't see a lot of Australian cattle dogs in the city) or if I look that crazy when I run, but whatever.

Or maybe it's the PINK shoes?

Chronic heel issues led me to check out the Naperville Running Company, where a great sales clerk measured my feet, watched me run on the treadmill, and brought out about 8 pairs of shoes for me to try on. It turned out that my running shoes needed to be a whole size larger. Sigh. After a process of elimination, it came down to two pairs. I picked the Nikes out not for their color, but because they were indeed the most comfortable. I love them & really don't have any buyer's remorse.

Thanks to a personal recommendation, I've switched from iMapMyRun to Strava to track my runs. the iMap GPS was unreliable, and the app crashed several times. So far, I love the Strava and am Tweeting my runs. I decided not to Facebook them -- until I get faster. If that ever happens!

The best part of running, so far? The occasional rewards I can enjoy guilt-free!

7 months later....

Hello! It's been a while. More than 7 months, actually. Life's been a fabulous whirlwind since my last blog post! I'm now settled in at the new address, complete with new driver's license for me and dog license for Baxter. It's been a complete lifestyle change for both of us. City living has been treating us very well and I can't believe I've been here for 3 1/2 months already!

A super-quick recap:

*Still running -- have a 3-mile run planned for tomorrow!

*Survived my 1-week volunteer adventure at Camp Barnabas.

*Finally made it to the TT races in Peoria (and got in a nice visit with Aunt Nancy).

*Got to see my beloved (and beleaguered) Minnesota Vikings play in Kansas City at the beginning of October.

*Packed up and moved to the Chicago suburbs!

*Rediscovered the joy of newspaper and pizza delivery, Starbucks around the corner, Target a skip and a hop away, gym membership, perpetual cell phone service, and tons more lovely things.

*Found out I remember how to drive in the snow and ice -- although this winter has been incredibly mild and we've really only had two measurable snowstorms.

*Tried showshoeing and didn't fall down!

*Checked out Cirque du Soleil -- Quidam. Amazing.

That's the supersonic, condensed list of highlights. More to come, complete with photos, I promise.

Hello, Spring!

Ahh, the last day of February! It was a little chilly today -- if temperatures in the 40s are chilly for those of you reading this from up north! But spring IS on its way, if the daffodils, tulips, irises and alliums popping up in my yard are any indication.
This still qualifies as a tulip picture, honest! The dog just wanted to be in the photo and, well, I'm a sucker for that face. Look behind his right front paw! See -- tulips!

Of course, it wouldn't be spring without a snake "incident." I'm proud to report that a) I didn't scream or even squeal when I saw it and b) I even took a close-up photo of the little bugger I found in my front patio this afternoon. Apparently this guy hitchicked in through one of the potted plants I moved inside for the winter. At least, that's what I'm telling myself (because alternate scenarios include that snakes can get IN my house on their own or there are a whole bunch of baby snakes in there...shudder the thought).
A snake is a snake, and I ain't touchin that thing.

The Big Chill

Now that was cold! Thankfully, the sun came out and the temperature rose 37 degrees from this. It turned out to be a beautiful day, and Mother Nature (and the weatherman!) are going to ease us into warmer weather. 30s on Friday, 40s on Saturday, 50s on Sunday. I can't wait!

We ventured out to play in the snow. The snow plow went by this morning. Well, it's not a snow plow--they use the road grader to move the snow. Hey, it works! I'm pretty sure the mailman wasn't too impressed, though.
Since tennis balls just sink in the snow, I sent Baxter to play with his red "Jolly Egg." This $14 toy gives him hours of OCD entertainment. He can't bite into it and deflate it (like he has numerous other toys), and ends up scooting it everywhere. The snow made it way more fun for him.
But not for me. He somehow got that thing over the snowbank, through the trees and into the creek. Great.
I waded into the snow and down a path we use in the summertime, and with some "help" from Baxter (he got into the frigid water!), the current and a long stick, I retreived the egg. I was pretty proud of myself for not falling into the creek. That would have been really fun.

Camera Shy

Yes, I'm fully aware that I'm now "one of those people" who tortures her pets with wacky headgear on the holidays. I can't help it. I found this elf hat while going through my boxes of Christmas decorations and thought I'd try to snap a photo or two of Baxter.


Didn't go so well. He's not a huge fan of having "stuff" on his head. Or having his photo taken with something on his head:
After some coaxing and then some bullying, this is the best I can do:
Yep, that's a stink-eye if I ever saw one. He's since forgotten and forgiven me. It's a good thing I make my own Christmas cards and don't rely on a cool Christmas photo for cards, because this one wouldn't be too festive!

Bionic

It's been a crazy, up-and-down month. Migraines galore. Missing Johnny. Motorcycle races in Springfield with my Dad. Getting ready for the Art Festival. And lots of writing. The migraines have seemed to take center stage lately. Hopefully this latest cycle is over with & things will settle back into routine. I haven't worked out in about three weeks due to the pain and am itching for a workout.

The fall weather is fabulous! There was a birthday party in the Hollow Sunday afternoon (Grayson's 4th!) -- and we had perfect weather. We party in style out here -- there was fresh bread and pizza from the outdoor bread oven. Heaven.

I went hiking yesterday, much to Baxter's delight. As I type this, he is sitting at my feet (im)patiently waiting for us to go outside and enjoy the rest of the afternoon. I can't move an inch without him thinking we are going outside rightthisminutetoplayballandgoswimming. He's a goober.

I can't believe I've had the new implant speech processor for a month already today. I had to go back to the audiologist today for a "tune up." Since I went so long without using the speech processor, my brain/nerves are still getting used to all the sounds. The implant itself consists of 22 electrodes in the cochlea -- each one has a unique tone/pitch that can be individually programmed. Today's appointment involved going through each of the electrodes and adjusting them a little bit louder/higher (for lack of a better term).
I didn't go up very much, but the audiologist said that even just small changes make a big difference. And you know what? They did! I can tell a big difference in the sounds this afternoon -- things seem even more crisp. She also adjusted the program to filter out a little bit more of the background noise -- and now my kitchen fan isn't quite so clacking and irritating. I do still need to oil the hinge on my French door at the entryway, though. How come nobody bothered to tell me it SQUEAKS in protest every time the door is opened or closed??

I'm typing out this blog as I wait for the school bus to go by -- the Bax and I are heading out to mow the lawn once it finishes its daily trip past our house. And guess what?? I heard it coming down the road! Awesome.

Tuning In

Still amazed at all the "new" sounds coming through these days.

The horse show sounds were a bit overwhelming. The loudspeaker was very uncomfortable for me and I did end up turning the processor off a few times to give myself a break. My friends "caught" me reacting to some sounds, and I think I impressed them with my skills. (Or maybe not!) The advantage of being exposed to the loud (at least for me) environment meant that I am now up to Program 2 of 4 on the processor already. I think my audiologist will be happy.

Baxter makes a lot more noise than I realized. Slurping the water. Shaking himself makes his dog tag jingle. Scratching himself. And I've discovered that he "talks" to me when he is bored and I am busy working on the computer or the horseshoe art or whatever. I've succeeded in confusing the poor dog by reacting when he yips at me. The first time I looked at him when he "talked," he looked a little taken aback. The second time, he was confused. Then he thought he was in trouble. So funny.

I've also started working harder on training him to do the "service dog" thing. Now that I can hear things like the microwave or oven timer beep, the phone ring, or someone knocking at the door, it's easier to reinforce the training and make him react to sounds. It's good for him to have a job, and it might come in handy someday when I want to travel with him.

Enough about that dog.

During yesterday's drive to & from Tulsa, I played with the car radio! Awesome. I love the stations that "scroll" the musician and song titles while they play a song. So far, I've tagged Lady Antebellum and the Zac Brown Band as favorites. While I liked the lyrics to Carrie Underwood's "Undo It," I did NOT like her music when I heard it. I didn't like Keith Urban, either. It's kind of fun to be able to listen and decide what I do and don't like!

Play Time

Anyone who has a blue heeler -- or who has had the privilege of a visit from Baxter -- knows these dogs can be pretty destructive. So far, I've been lucky -- Baxter's only destroyed toys.

Oh, and my bed. How could I have forgotten that one. That's a whole other blog.

Anyways. I've always tried to keep an eye out for good, virtually indestructable toys for the Bax. Stuffed animals are a no-no. They get dismembered and de-squeaked in 60 seconds flat -- regardless if they are Baxter's toys or not.

I've found a few good toys, but the one item I've struggled with has been one of Baxter's obsessions. Balls. He fixates on tennis balls. I think there's even one on the bed -- you know, just in case I decide to get up in the middle of the night and throw it for him.

I've tried to find Bax a good ball to roll around outside and play with. He really, really, really wants to play with my big Swiss exercise ball in the house, but I know he would destroy it, so that one's off limits. I've tried a cheap large ball from the kids' toys department, wasted $5 on an extra-large tennis ball. Nope, both destroyed.

And then I found an egg-shaped plastic sphere at Tractor Supply. The "Jolly Egg." I'm embarassed to say what I paid for it! But it seems like it is going to hold up, both indoors and outdoors. (Although visitors complain about how much noise it makes when being herded across the hardwood floors and banged into walls.)


(I still can't believe what a good dog he is -- pausing from play to pose for this photo.)

off to the races!

We're en route to Springfield, Illinois, for the AMA flat track races. The weather is going to be beautiful, the cycles fast, the beer cold, and it's always fun to catch up with friends I only see once or twice a year.

But we have to get there first. We're only about an hour into the 300-mile drive. Baxter is not a happy camper -- I finally found something this fearless baby doesn't like. He's been in the motorhome tons of times -- but never when it's been in motion. He's freaked out, sitting at my feet right now. Poor guy! I'll have to give him some Benadryl *before* we travel home on Monday.

Have a wonderful and safe weekend, wherever you are! Photos on Monday or Tuesday.

That Dog

Baxter. Yeah, I talk about him way too much. He's a goofball.

He has an obsession with tennis balls that I thought would get better with age. But it hasn't! Now, he not only bounces around when he figures out we're going outside to throw the ball, but he won't give up the ball when we're done playing.

I've pretty much given up on fighting him. It's either play a tug-of-war I will not win or bribe him with his current favorite treat: peanut butter. Sigh. Who's getting trained here?


Sure. he's fairly good-looking now. But he used to be so cute.

See how he was two years ago:
And now:

Yep, I think he finally grew into those ears. Not that I was really worried! He's not really quite as interested in the camera now as he was as a pup.

He hasn't been very good at stepping into the big shoes Kona the wonder corgi left behine when it comes to being a hearing dog. In fact, he's pretty much failed. When someone comes to the door, he goes to the door to greet them, forgetting all about me. Ringing phone? Forgetaboutit.

Maybe once I get my brand-spankin'-new speech processor for my cochlear implant (that's a whole 'nother blog, two years or so in the making), I can focus more on training him. In the meantime, I have no fears that he would be very protective if the occasion ever presented itself.

I have a deadline calling, and there's a plane seat with my name on it on Thursday! I will try to blog from my destination, but no promises. Pictures are sure to pop up on Facebook, though!

Coming soon...

Spring is slowly but surely making its way to the hollow!

It was another gorgeous (albeit windy) day today. Baxter and I went for a great hike.

Extra credit if you can spot what I didn't when I took this photo. Answer is on the bottom of the post.

For my Northern readers -- two big signs spring is here:

Answer: You probably can't quite see the spot of red and somewhat hidden person in the lower right-hand corner! I didn't know it, but my neighbor & his son were exploring the creek below me. I never saw them; they said Baxter did, but since he knew them, he didn't care too much. Maybe I better start paying better attention when I'm out hiking!

Saving for a rainy day

There's nothing like a rainy day to spur me to get things done. Today, I'm literally "stuck" at home -- the only way out of the hollow is via creative, dangerous methods.


This is what it looked like this afternoon (note the mailbox in the center of the picture. The water in front of it is the road!):
Some people would use a day like today as an excuse to curl up with a blanket, puppy, book and a bottomless mug of hot tea (or maybe spiked hot chocolate made with fresh goat milk). Not me. I started the day out by rearranging my desk/office area. I'd been thinking about doing it for a while, but hadn't gotten around to it. I'm glad I did it now -- it's more comfortable, yet more efficient.


But wait! Before I finished *that* project, a side trip to the walk-in closet by my front door became yet another project. I couldn't find what I was looking for...and ended up cleaning & reorganizing that closet, too. Productive, no?


I don't know if it's the impending spring weather or what, but I've been "nesting" and downsizing lately. I've listed quite a few things on Ebay, and am organizing "stuff" for a garage sale in April. Anyone who knows me knows I am the queen of organization. I can't help it! (It's a control thing, folks.)


Anyways. I also went for a walk with the Wardlaw neighbors and Baxter, my blue heeler pup. Baxter behaved himself amazingly well with Huxley, I was pretty proud of him. I, however, was not as well behaved, continuing my tradition of teaching little Huxley to do things his mom would rather he didn't. Harmless things like splashing in the puddles, digging in the mud...you get the idea.

And here I am tonight, watching the rain STILL falling outside my window, burning a candle to mask the smell of eau de wet dog, and thinking about adding a little something to my next mug of hot chocolate.